Getting fresh seafood in a landlocked city used to be a dicey proposition, but that changed once overnight shipping became commonplace. So it was only fitting that in 2016, East Coast transplant chef M. Brett Curtis launched his first seafood concept, the Dock, out of a decommissioned FedEx delivery truck. After spending years in a variety of roles with Ruby Tuesday and Nestlé, Curtis was ready to strike out on his own, applying everything he’d learned about what to do—and what not to do—when running a restaurant.
The idea to serve seafood was somewhat predetermined.
“I’m from the East Coast originally. I grew up in Maryland, and I’ve always really been passionate about food,” Curtis says.
He launched the food truck as a part-time side hustle while still working in the corporate world. What was supposed to be a weekend project quickly turned into an 80-hour workweek, balancing a full-time job with long hours at the truck. Fortunately, the concept found an audience almost immediately. An opportunity to open inside a Fort Worth food hall followed, but after mismanagement and the challenges of the pandemic, Curtis decided it was time to build something he could truly call his own.
The first Dock Local—now closed—opened in Uptown’s West Village in 2020. In the years that followed, Curtis expanded to roughly 10 locations across DFW, Denver and Nashville, most of them inside food halls. Today, the company has settled into a more focused footprint of five locations, including the new Dallas Farmers Market location that just opened on July 16.
Every opening taught Curtis another lesson, reinforcing a philosophy that’s guided Dock Local from the beginning: bring truly fresh seafood to places hundreds of miles from the nearest coast.
“One of our main messages is that we bring that coastal food to you locally, wherever you’re based,” he says. “That’s why we’re called Dock Local. If you’re landlocked, we’re bringing in exactly what you would get on the coast.”
That commitment extends to sourcing. Lobsters arrive three times a week, oysters are delivered daily, and nearly everything is flown in.
“We can have something in 24 hours if we really need it. If I want king crab from the Pacific, we can get it here in a day.”
The Dallas Farmers Market location marks a return to a full-service experience, a departure from Dock Local’s food hall locations in Downtown Dallas, Grapevine, Plano and Nashville. Curtis expanded the menu to include a raw bar and introduced a full bar, giving diners even more reasons to linger. The restaurant features seating for 20 at the bar, a full-service dining room and a spacious patio that’s sure to become a popular gathering spot once cooler weather arrives.
“We’re offering a premium product, so we want to have a conversation with people and give you that extra hospitality that you wouldn’t have in a fast-food kind of thing,” he says. “This is our first opportunity to do a raw bar, too. We’re doing oysters, shrimp cocktail, snow crab claws, clams and mussels.”
Everything is made from scratch, and Curtis serves all of Dock Local’s greatest hits alongside the new raw bar offerings. For first-time visitors, he has a simple game plan.
Start with one of the restaurant’s margaritas—which he calls “phenomenal”—or opt for the lighter, more refreshing lemonade mule. Better yet, stop by during Local Hour, when margaritas are just $3 Monday through Friday from 2 to 6 p.m.
From there, Curtis points diners toward the lobster garlic fries, a shareable starter loaded with lobster, garlic and fresh herbs. For something a little more indulgent, he recommends the lobster grilled cheese, layered with homemade queso, Swiss, Gouda, shrimp and a touch of sriracha, with a side of lobster bisque for dipping.
Seafood tacos remain the heart of the menu, and it’s the dish Curtis is most confident about.
“I’d put our seafood tacos up as the best in the state of Texas. That’s how good they are,” he says.
Available with grilled or fried Baja-style fish, house-smoked salmon, garlic shrimp or blackened shrimp, the tacos can even be ordered as flights, encouraging guests to sample multiple varieties in one meal.
Lobster lovers shouldn’t overlook the mini lobster roll flight, which lets diners mix and match warm Connecticut-style rolls with drawn butter, chilled Maine-style rolls tossed lightly in mayo, or the more budget-friendly Grinder, which combines lobster and shrimp. Curtis doesn’t hesitate when asked for his favorite: Maine style.
This week, Curtis is giving followers a behind-the-scenes look at Dock Local during his DiningOut Dallas Instagram takeover.
“We’re trying to show what a day’s like, start to finish,” he says. “CEOs don’t usually work in operations, but I’m an exception. You’ll find me behind the bar, doing dishes, working the line, inspecting food, putting in supplier orders, checking inventory. There are so many facets of the restaurant business, and I love being the go-to person for anything that comes up.”
Though opening the new location has him logging long days once again, Curtis still makes time for his wife and three daughters.
“We make time on the weekends and weeknights to be together,” he says. “We’ll also take trips to the coast and Arizona. They know I’m a different animal when I’m in the restaurant, so we keep work and home separate.”
For Curtis, success has never been about opening the most restaurants—it’s about serving seafood that rivals what you’d find on the coast while creating a place people want to return to. Judging by Dock Local’s newest home at Dallas Farmers Market, that philosophy is still paying off.
Tune into DiningOut Dallas’ Instagram on Wednesday, August 5 to catch Curtis in action.
Dock Local, Multiple locations, thedocktexas.com
